


Sweat

by creampuffer



Category: Merlin - Fandom
Genre: M/M, Oral Sex, PWP, Pining, Sweat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-12-03 05:28:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/creampuffer/pseuds/creampuffer
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s hot, Arthur’s sweating, and Merlin’s there to cool things down (or heat things up...)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweat

**Author's Note:**

> birthday fic gift for ememmyem in which she supplied me with several one word prompts. i chose sweat. and then this happened.

The heat of the day was intense. Too intense to work for long; unless your name was Merlin. Then it was nonstop back and forth in order to keep Prince Arthur, the utter prat, as cool as possible. He wished, not for the first time, that he could simply use his magic to benefit Arthur. It would be easier than what he was doing now. Because right now he was basically being submitted to torture; all but sponging off the stupid man-child every few minutes.

It was all well and good for Arthur, lying in bed in nothing but his breeches. He did nothing more than yell at Merlin for water or wine, too hot to want for food. But Merlin was burning up. Not from the heat, though; the fire he felt consumed him from the inside out. It felt like his magic, only stranger and more intense, as he took in all of Arthur’s bare skin. Whenever Arthur’s eyes slipped closed, Merlin felt his drawn to the hollow of Arthur’s throat, how sweat pooled there, a little oasis Merlin’s tongue wanted to visit. And whenever he squeezed water onto Arthur’s prone body, Merlin wanted to drop the rag he held so he could finger the trails of water running down Arthur’s chest to collect in his navel. It was criminal the way Arthur’s body shone with perspiration, attractive instead of off putting like it would be on any other man. Why was Merlin being punished so cruelly?

“It’s so _hot_ , Merlin,” and he pretended Arthur wasn’t talking about the weather but something else. “Not even the water is cooling me down anymore.”

The blond’s head was tipped back so Merlin had a better look at the long throat, the way that prominent Adam’s apple bobbed and muscles clenched as Arthur tensed and relaxed the muscles of his neck. If he didn’t know better, Merlin would suspect Arthur of doing all of this on purpose. Only, he knew that’s just the way Arthur was; a beautiful specimen of masculinity always on display for those able to look.

Merlin sighed and turned away to the bucket of water on the floor. His eyes bled gold as he whispered the incantation. There was a thin layer of frost over the water, enough that when he plunged the rag into it, goosebumps broke out over his flesh at the contrast. He wanted to pick up that bucket and dump it over his body. Maybe he could cool the heat of his lust.

No. He’d rather dump it over Arthur’s body. Let it soak through the fine linen of his breeches until he could see through to the man underneath.

He sighed again. Arthur would probably chuck something at him for that.

“ _Mer_ lin. What is taking you so long? Are you that incompetent you can’t even wet a rag?”

He may have bristled at the words, but Merlin’s prick didn’t seem to mind the way Arthur spoke to him. His cock hardened inside his trousers. No matter how Merlin took offense to the way he was belittled for his station, his body responded positively. It was a war he waged within himself. For someone with so much magic, so much power, Merlin was continuously made to do demeaning, menial tasks. But something deep inside craved being ordered around. With so much responsibility resting on his shoulders, Merlin was beginning to realize that being ordered around freed him from burdens he could not escape. At least in this small measure, he could let go and focus on someone else taking charge.

“Sorry, Sir,” he husked out. He couldn’t help it. Merlin wanted so fiercely; his eyes burned gold again.

Shutting them tight he turned around and let water drip from the rag in his hand, not a thought as to what he was wetting down.

“Hey!”

Merlin felt a whoosh of air and opened his eyes. Arthur was no longer reclined on the pile of pillows but sitting up straight, glaring at Merlin as if he had been mortally offended.

He started to respond when Merlin looked down and realized Arthur’s breeches were dotted with water, the linen sticking to his skin in several places. “Oops?”

“Oops? That’s what you have to say to me, Merlin?”

For a moment, Merlin couldn’t respond, watching the water bleed into the fabric. He brought his wringing hands up, on accident of course, and watched as more water fell across Arthur’s lap.

“I mean, forgive me, _Your Highness_.”

“You little shit.” Arthur glared up at him. Merlin’s cock twitched. “And why do you keep addressing me so formally?”

“What’s wrong with the way I’m addressing you?”

“You normally don’t call me Sir or Your Highness in private.” Arthur looked to be searching Merlin’s expression for something, who knew what, before lying back down. “It’s weird when you do.”

“Would you prefer I call you something else?”

Merlin prayed to the Old Religion that his eyes didn’t change color. He was filling up with this almighty need for Arthur. Being so close to his body was a challenge Merlin was finding hard to face.

“Just,” Arthur motioned at his face and chest, “get on with it.”

With a put upon sigh, Merlin bent to his task, body strung tight as he placed the cool rag to Arthur’s forehead. The hair there was darker from the combination of sweat and water. Merlin wanted to push it back from Arthur’s face, feel the silk of it between his fingers and kiss his brow. Arthur made a soft whimper of a noise as Merlin swept the rag down his cheek to his neck.

“Feel good?”

“Mm.” Arthur’s lips curved into a smile. Merlin pressed the rag against them.

Of course then Merlin was left staring at droplets clinging to Arthur’s mouth, lush lips pursed and just slightly open from the coolness.

Damn that man.

Merlin went back to the bucket, soaked up more water and returned to Arthur’s chest. For all his teasing, Arthur’s body was...beautiful. There was no other word for it. Well defined chest, tiny pink nipples that begged to be bitten and enough hair to tug on; all leading down to the pale muscled torso Merlin loved to look at whenever possible. Which was fairly often due to helping the Once and Future King getting ready in the mornings and at night. Not to mention suiting up for any of his Princely duties.

Being Arthur’s personal servant had its advantages.

Rivulets of water swept down his ribs, curling around to his back and all of the sudden Arthur was arching against the sudden coolness he hadn’t been expecting. Gods, but his body bowing like that was gorgeous; all his muscles tensing and flexing and...

Merlin’s eyes roamed Arthur’s body, sweeping up and down at his leisure, and noticed the strain at the ties of Arthur’s breeches. He felt flames begin to consume him at what he saw, plainly, through the soaked fabric.

Arthur was hard, prick resting against his left thigh and looking so inviting Merlin couldn’t keep his hands still.

“Does this feel good, milord?”

He swept the rag down Arthur’s torso, past the waist of his breeches and over his cock. The body beneath him surged up and Merlin grinned in victory.

“ _Mer_ lin!”

He moved up, fingers casually brushing against the hardness there, and resumed his ministrations on Arthur’s chest.

“What? No, I, uh, Merlin?”

He was rubbing slow circles around Arthur’s nipples just to watch them harden as he drew closer to them. “Yes, Sire?”

“You should. Go lower.”

Merlin moved his hand to Arthur’s sternum. “Here?”

“No. No lower, Merlin.”

“Here?” He was at Arthur’s navel now, dipping in one finger.

Arthur shook his head. “Keep going. God, I’m burning up, Merlin, I’m so _hot_.”

Oh, but how he loved to tease his King. Seeing him writhe beneath his hand had always been something Merlin wanted but never actually thought he’d witness. He was enjoying it too much as Arthur began to helplessly thrust his hips up as Merlin forgot the rag completely and let his hand trail down low, low, lower. Bypassing where Arthur so obviously wanted him.

“What? No, where are you... _Merlin_!”

He stopped his hand at Arthur’s knee. “You said keep going, Your Highness. So I kept going.”

“Don’t be stupid, Merlin.” He loved the way Arthur’s tongue worked, how it wrapped around the s and turned the word into something more than an insult. “You know what I meant.”

“Do I?”

Arthur glared at him. “Yes. You do. Now put your hand back on my cock before I hurt you.”

It was his tone of voice more than the words that did it for Merlin. So commanding. Strong. Not to be disobeyed. Merlin’s eyes fluttered shut as longing swam through his veins making his body thrum. When he opened them, he had no idea what color Arthur would see. He didn’t care. He had to touch and Arthur wasn’t just allowing it. He was demanding it.

“Your wish is my command, Sire.”

Slow, shaky hands skimmed up the sodden linen and cupped Arthur. Merlin traced around the outline of his cock, loved the way it jumped and strained toward Merlin’s hand.

“Touch me.” Arthur spoke quietly but no less firmly and Merlin hastened to obey; quickly untying the lacings that held him in.

When he lifted Arthur’s prick out, Merlin could do nothing more than stare. Arthur’s cock was heavy in his hands; long, thick and flushed a deep pink, Merlin wanted to taste it. He climbed onto the bed slowly, giving Arthur enough time to stop him if he wanted. But Arthur stayed silent, even as Merlin kneeled over him and bent his head to touch his lips to Arthur’s prick.

“Ah!” Arthur reached out a hand to hold onto Merlin’s head, gripping hair hard enough that Merlin gasped.

“Do you wish me to stop?” He looked up into dazed eyes and prayed Arthur would not stop him. He needed this. They both did.

“Are you mad? Don’t you dare.”

Merlin grinned and licked softly at the head of Arthur’s cock. He tasted a little bitter, the salt of skin, only more concentrated, more Arthur and Merlin reveled in that. Opening his mouth, Merlin drew Arthur inside and began to suck.

“That’s it, Merlin. Just like that.” Arthur’s fingers were in Merlin’s hair, gripping tight and encouraging him to take more.

He’d never dreamed he’d get to do this, not even with all the hoping that Arthur’s ribbing was a sign of some greater affection for Merlin. This was...doing this to Arthur was true magic. Touching him, bringing him pleasure, Merlin couldn’t get enough.

“Suck me deeper.” And Arthur was pushing down on Merlin’s head until he was nosing at dark blond curls.

The smell that filled him was pure sex, a clean sweat that was thick and pleasant in his nose. He breathed it in deeply and relaxed his mouth enough to open further and take Arthur down. Arthur was making strangled noises, eyes shut tightly as Merlin swallowed around him.

“You’re so _good_ , Merlin, so good at this.”

Praise from Arthur was a heady thing. He started sucking harder, cheeks hollowing out with the effort of bringing Arthur as much pleasure as possible. He pushed Arthur’s thighs further apart, needing to get as close as possible, and began playing with Arthur’s balls. Merlin felt the quaking of muscles, the way Arthur’s balls drew in tight and felt powerful in the knowledge he was giving this to his King. He didn’t want to let up, wanted to taste Arthur’s release, swallow it down and make it a part of him because they were destined to be together like this. He knew it.

When Arthur moved to pull away, Merlin held tight to his thighs. “You want this?” Merlin nodded and Arthur groaned. “You want me to spill inside your mouth?”

Merlin pulled off just enough to say, “yes, milord,” then continued pleasuring Arthur.

“Do you have any idea, Merlin,” Arthur was panting out. “Any, _fuck_ , idea how good your mouth feels?”

He shook his head and looked straight into Arthur’s eyes.

“I always knew you’d be good at this, look perfect with my cock in your mouth.” Arthur’s words were slightly slurred with pleasure. “Wanted you like this for so long but didn’t want to make you, Merlin. Wanted you to come to me. Just like this, Merlin, you’re gorgeous sucking me off, aren’t you?”

Merlin’s eyes widened at Arthur’s words. He had thought of this? Had wanted Merlin to do this? What did “for so long” mean? Merlin moaned at the revelation that Arthur wanted him. Him, Merlin, who was nothing more than a servant to Arthur, and yet somehow special enough to want.

He urged Arthur’s body towards him, encouraging him to take what he wanted. Arthur, realizing what Merlin was doing, let out an almost pained noise and began to thrust up into Merlin’s mouth. He moved faster, sloppier, not taking heed of anything but his own pleasure. Merlin’s eyes slipped closed, overwhelmed and felt the surge in Arthur’s prick as he came, no more warning than fingers digging into Merlin’s scalp.

Merlin barely had time to swallow before he pulled himself out of his trousers and began to stroke himself hard enough to have him rocking against Arthur’s now sex-loose body. He dropped his forehead to the soft skin of Arthur’s hip and worked his hand over himself even as he licked his lips and tasted _Arthur_.

“You going to come, _Mer_ lin?”

Nodding, Merlin’s hand moved faster. He could feel his magic, linked to his pleasure it seemed, building up to an almost frightening level. He needed this release, needed Arthur, needed _everything_.

“Good. Go on, then. Let me see you.’ Merlin lifted his head and opened what he knew had to be golden eyes. But all Arthur said in response was, “that’s it. Now come for me.”

Merlin felt himself shake apart as he responded to Arthur’s command, his seed spilling out over his hand. The sensation was so intense he felt it in every limb of his body, a pain that was so pleasurable his vision whited out.

He must have lain there, gone to the world around him, for some time, because next thing he knew Arthur was petting his damp hair.

“Don’t think this will get you out of your duties, Merlin. If anything, I expect better service from now on.” The words were spoken fondly.

Merlin smiled but didn’t move, still afraid Arthur would comment on his eyes. “You’re a spoiled brat, did you know that?”

“Mm,” Arthur hummed. “I’m all sticky now. Looks like I’m going to need a bath.” He pushed at Merlin’s head trying to get him to move. “I expect I’ll need a very thorough cleaning.”

“Shall I ready a bath for you then?”

“Us.” Merlin paused in getting up to look at Arthur. “Don’t look so confused. You’re more disgusting than I am. I will not have you wandering about the castle like that.”

“You want us to bathe...together?” Merlin felt that surge of power and heat inside him once more.

Arthur stared at him for just a moment before his lips curled into a smirk. “Fucking you is going to prove very interesting. Isn’t it, Merlin?”

**Author's Note:**

> this happens in the nebulous time right before arthur gets crowned king but is somewhat non-compliant with the series in that arthur has some inkling of merlin's magic.


End file.
